Abdominal supporter.



No. 889.624. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

K. KOERNBR.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

APPLIOATION rILnn 811M220, 1000.

bodymg my invention. front elevation partly in KATH ERIN E KO E RNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PEN N SYI N A NIA.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

Application filed September-'20, 1906. Serial No. 335,429.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KATHERINE KOERNER,

"a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, .State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Abdominal Supporter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a novel construc tion of a support adapted to fit clos' ly to the body of the wearer and yield readily to the movements of the body above, but to maintain the proper pressure upon or below the abdomen, the device being especially adapted for an abdominal supporter or for ruptures, hernias, and like uses to which devices of this general character are applied, the same bem variously termed appendicitisbandages, aparotomy bands or abdominal su porters.

11 carrying out my invention, I .construct the same wholly of cloth or suitable flexible or pliable material and dis ense entirely with whalebone or rubber or ot ier elastic material which I have found in practice to have an injurious efi'ectupon the abdome or body after recovery from certain types of abdominal operations.

In constructing my invention, I employ an upper and lower binder or strip of difi'erent lengths, the lower binder being shorter than the upper binder, whereby the requisite pucker at the top is formed, the formation of the latter bein enhanced by the provision of suitable gores between the up er and lower binders as will be hereafter ex ained.

Figure 1 represents a front e evation partly in perspective of an abdominal supporter em- Fig. 2 represents a perspective of half of the device seen in Fi 1. Fig. 3 represents a rear elevation of t 1e supporter viewed in the direction oppositely to I ig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 00+:t, Fi 1.-

Similar numerals of reference indicate corres onding parts in the figures l eferring to the drawings 1 designates the supporter, the same consisting of the lower strip or binder 2 and the upper strip or binder 3, the latter being of considerably greater length than the ower binder and then secured in position, having the curved or concave contour as indicated at 4, which radually rises until the point farthest awa rom the lower binder 2 1s reached, which 18 substantially the center of the device.

Between the upper and lower binders 2 lower bindings and 3 are located the central gores 5, the continuous gores 6, adjacent to which latter arethe gores 7, while the space between the converging terminals of the upper and lower binders 2 and 3 is occupied by the gores 8. The center seams 9 intermediate the gores 5 are concealed by the center binding 10, while the seams 11 which converge upwardly, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3, are concealed by the bindings 12, the, seams 13 are concealed 'by bindings 14 and the seams 15 are concealed by the short bindings 16.

17 designates straps or fastening devices which are adapted to secure the supporter in position around the body of the wearer, said straps being provided with buckles or other equivalent devices for securing the same in the desired adjusted position.

It will be understood from Fig. 4 that my novel device is constructed of two pieces of fabric, since each gore is made in parts juxtaposed upon each other to form the front and back, the seams thereof being concealed by the bindings 10, 12, 14 and 16, whereby the device presents a finished and tasty appearance. By the provision of the upper and lower binders 3 and 2 and the transverse binders 10, 12, 14 and 16, it will be apparent that when a pull is exerted upon the stra s 17 a ocket will be formed which can e varier according to re uirements to suit the conditions resulting rom the operation, which may have necessitated the Wearing of a support of this character.

In the embodiment of my invention, the

same is constructed entirely of suitable cloth or fabric and I desire larly that I dispense with whalebones' or rubber or elastic reinforcing strips or pieces which may have been heretofore employed in the prior art, since my present device is designed to be made of substantially inflexible material or of material flexible only to the extent to which the flexibility of the cloth and fabric or other material employed and may serve to fit them to the portion of the bodlyfupon which they are to be used.

It wil urther be apparent that in my appliance which is constructed wholly of fabric or similar material, the unnecessary meeting to emphasize particu-- of the body is avoided, which is sometimes 1 present in large bandages composed, to a' greater or less extent, 0

whalebone, rubber or similar material and by theconstruction and combination of the gores and upper and 3 and 2 a permanent pocket been in centra is formed for the reception of the body when the device is laced in position, whereby all probability 0 the supporter to rise is obviated and the same can be readily worn without necessitating extraneous attachments to the corset, hose. or hose-supporters of the wearer, such as has heretofore sometimes ractice.

It of course, be understood that the gores may be made of any suitable fabric and either a woven fabric, a knit fabric or a fabric manufactured in any other suitable manner ma be employed and still be within the scope o the invention, as will be evident to those skilled in the art.

1 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

As an improved article of manufacture, the supporter herein described, complrising unstifiened gores narrower at t e top than at the bottom, a binder connecting the central gores and concealing the junction thereof, 'der gores on the outer sides of said central gores and slightly narrower at the to than at the bottom with their u per en scurved downwardly away from t e central gores, binders connecting the central and side gores and converging from the lower port on -to; t he upper portion towards each other, narrower gores toward the ends of saidsupporter, binders between the same and the side gores, a continuous upper binder connected with the gores and with the transverse binders, a lower binder connected with the lower portions of said gores and'transverse binders to form an integral pocket, said upper and lower binders conormin to the s ape of the gores, the upper binder eing of greater length than the lower binder, and fastenmg straps formed separate from and attached to the ends of said supporter whereby the shape of said pocket may e varied accordin to re uirem'ents.

. KAT ERI E KOERNER.

Witnesses:

MICHAEL A. MURRAY, ALAN F. GENTRY. 

